The Tahoe Tweezer

When someone says, "You have to listen to this 37 minute Phish jam," it's a social risk. So here goes.

Phish fans, this is not for you. This is for we who don't follow them around the world, read the forums, or write Gamehendge fan fiction.

It's also this radio DJ's explanation for playing a 37-minute recording in the middle of the day.

But the Tahoe Tweezer is newsworthy for good reason.

The basics: Phish started to play a song in Tahoe last week called "Tweezer." Then they improvised for almost 37 minutes. It was, at the very least, remarkable. Sure, it's their longest jam since their reuninion their seventh-longest song ever.

But it was so good that Phish bloggers are literally asking what where to go from here.

"THE defining moment of the band’s 30th year celebration: The Tahoe Tweezer." - Live Music Blog

But what's truly spectacular about this event is the sound of veteran improvisors truly listening to each other. And when the crowd spontaneously jumps in, things take a turn for the bonkers.

Even the untrained ear can follow the band communicating as they build dark and light sections, undulating tempos, natural key changes and chord progressions. But they never noodle. In fact, what makes this such a remarkable event is how little jamband indulgence transpires.*

Tahoe “Tweezer” can most simply be understood as a song with very specific sections of insanely explicit music...- Glide

By contrast, the Tahoe Tweezer moves deftly through what sounds like a suite of fully-formed songs you want to hear more of. The song 'Tweezer' itself is just a bookend to what sounds like a great DJ set.

Again, they are making this up on the spot. It's a swim team of four Michael Phelps. It's Air Jordan playing horse against himself in zero gravity. It's unthinkable.

Regardless of genre, if music is your thing, this is an exceptional, if not wonderful, specimen.